Police: Man on synthetic pot attacks woman with meat cleaver

Aggravated battery suspect smoked Cloud Nine, police say

Sunrise police said a man who had smoked a synthetic marijuana called Cloud Nine attacked a woman with a meat cleaver.

Levan Allman, 24, was hanging out with a female friend in a back yard in Sunrise, smoking an over-the-counter brand of synthetic marijuana called Cloud Nine, police said, when the woman fell asleep. Police said Allman went inside to watch TV but instead picked up a meat cleaver, when back outside and started hacking at the woman.

Allman called 911 and reported the attack.

The 27-year-old woman was hospitalized with deep lacerations on her head and arms.

Allman was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. His tearful grandmother said the attack happened out of the blue.

"We're really shocked. I'm really surprised," she said.

"If an adult smokes this and reacts like that, just imagine the way a kid would react," said Sunrise Commissioner Joey Scuoto.

Scuoto led the city to ban synthetic marijuana last month, but police said Allman bought the drug from a store in nearby Lauderhill, where it is legal.

Synthetic marijuana has been alleged to trigger psychosis and other serious side effects in some users.

"We need all the cities to band together throughout the state, throughout the country, to stop this and put an end to it," Scuoto said.

The city of Lauderhill is doing so, but the final vote has not been made yet.

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